IT Leader Insights: IT leaders face rising strain as AI adoption accelerates

AI investment is accelerating across organizations of all sizes, and IT leaders are at the center of the shift. While AI is already improving decision‑making, productivity, and risk management, the operational demands of deploying and scaling these technologies are placing growing strain on IT teams. This research-backed whitepaper explores how IT leaders are navigating rising expectations around AI value, ROI, and performance—often amid data quality gaps, skills shortages, and increasing pressure to deliver results faster.

Key challenges facing IT leaders as AI scales

Based on the latest research from SAP Concur, this whitepaper provides IT leaders with data‑backed insight into where pressure is building, and practical actions to help manage it.

AI is delivering results—but at a growing operational cost

IT leaders report strong gains from AI, even as the resources required to support adoption continue to rise.

ROI pressure is increasing

As AI investment grows, IT teams face mounting expectations to prove value while balancing realistic timelines and capacity.

Data quality and ownership gaps are slowing progress

Poor data foundations, unclear accountability, and integration challenges are constraining AI outcomes.

Skills shortages are becoming a bottleneck

Gaps in AI, data, and cybersecurity capabilities across finance and business teams are adding strain to IT functions.

Collaboration is critical to long‑term success

Strong alignment between IT, finance, and leadership emerges as a key driver of sustainable AI returns.

Why this matters now

As organizations move from AI experimentation to enterprise‑wide adoption, the success of these initiatives increasingly depends on IT’s ability to scale responsibly. Without sufficient capacity, strong data governance, and cross‑functional alignment, AI programs risk slowing delivery, increasing risk, and overwhelming already stretched teams.

Get insight into how IT leaders are balancing AI opportunity with operational reality—and what steps they can take to help reduce strain while sustaining value.

Looking for a finance‑focused perspective?

Explore related CFO Insights research on AI ROI, data foundations, and digital risk.